Cassidy Introduces Amendment To Guard Against Hazards Of Budget's Energy Taxes

Press Release

Cassidy Introduces Amendment To Guard Against Hazards Of Budget's Energy Taxes

Today, Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-Baton Rouge) introduced a budget amendment to protect energy sector workers from tax increases targeting their industry in the Democrats' budget and to ensure that these proposed tax increases are not used to make America more dependent on foreign oil.

"The President says he wants to create jobs and increase America's energy independence, but proposes tax increases that will achieve the opposite," said Cassidy.

"The energy sector employs over 320,000 Louisianans in well-paying jobs with good benefits. The $31 billion in energy tax hikes in his budget put these jobs at risk. The budget should seek to grow the energy economy, not endanger it."

"These tax hikes jeopardize jobs and discourage domestic energy production, which is key for energy independence and security. Reducing energy production at home requires increasing the amount of oil bought from abroad, often from countries that hate America.

The President's initial budget proposal included eight separate tax hikes on domestic energy production totaling over $31 billion (pages 122-123). This week, House Budget Committee Democrats approved the President's Budget, retaining $31 billion in energy tax increases, while hiding the specific taxes to be levied.

Cassidy's amendment would establish a procedural roadblock to prevent consideration of tax increases that would jeopardize workers in America's oil and natural gas sector or increase America's dependence on foreign oil.

The amendment would also prevent consideration of legislation containing tax increases that hurt domestic energy workers or reduce energy independence during the budget reconciliation process, an arcane procedural exercise Congressional Democrats and President Obama have threatened to use to usurp minority rights in the Senate.

This afternoon, Cassidy presented his amendment to the House Rules Committee, which sets the ground rules for debate on the House floor, including which amendments will be debated.

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